Working with patients and the public to develop dementia friendly oral health tools

Objectives: This paper aims to highlight the importance of working with patients and the public in developing oral health research for those living with dementia. As part of working in partnership with care homes and local organisations supporting dementia in the community, this project set out to collect views and opinions on oral health from service users and their carers to inform and guide research. Methods: In a series of meetings with services users and carers attending Alzheimer’s support groups, information was collected and collated to inform the research design for a prospective study. Results: The service users and carers manage different levels of oral health hygiene but dementia itself is a big barrier. Access to Dental Care Professionals (DCPs) was a recurring subject of discussion, as were dementia friendly notes at dental practices. Conclusions: This piece of work shows that Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is essential in highlighting the real issues of mouth care in our local community. Those in caring roles have a significant contribution to make to every day oral health practice, particularly in the development of oral health tools for those living with dementia.